Ferrero invests US$75M to produce Nutella Peanut in US
Franklin Park facility becomes production base for US market expansion
USA – Ferrero has announced that it will begin manufacturing Nutella in the United States alongside the launch of a peanut-based variant, marking the first time the spread will be produced locally and the first new flavour in the brand’s 62-year history.
The company is directing US$75 million toward upgrading its Franklin Park, Illinois factory to support large-scale production of Nutella Peanut for the domestic market.
The facility, which has operated for decades, already produces legacy confectionery brands such as Butterfinger and Baby Ruth, making it a long-standing part of Ferrero’s North American operations.
Nutella entered the US market in 2009 and has since expanded its presence from a breakfast spread to a product used across multiple eating occasions.
Ferrero said the decision to introduce a peanut variant reflects consumption patterns in the United States, where peanuts account for about 65% of nut intake and average per-capita consumption is roughly 3.6 kg annually.
The company is targeting wider use of Nutella Peanut beyond breakfast, including snacks, lunchboxes, and evening consumption occasions as it looks to compete more directly in the peanut butter segment.
Ferrero clarified that the original hazelnut-based Nutella recipe will remain unchanged and that the peanut version will be positioned as an additional product rather than a replacement.
Expansion beyond spreads
The investment is part of a broader North American strategy that includes acquisitions and manufacturing expansion, such as the US$3.1 billion purchase of WK Kellogg.
Industry analysts note the US peanut butter category is highly concentrated with established domestic brands, making Ferrero’s entry through Nutella Peanut a competitive shift rather than a simple product extension.
The Franklin Park expansion is also expected to reduce reliance on imported finished goods by increasing production capacity within the United States and tightening control over distribution timelines.
Ferrero indicated that further product development in the US market will depend on consumer uptake of Nutella Peanut as it evaluates additional formats and flavour variations going forward.
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